Vending-machine



E. F. BOWEN AND E. J. SCOTT.

VENDING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15', 1920.

1,389,81 1. I PatentedSept. 6,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- E. F. BOWEN AND E. J. SCOTT.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15. 1920.

E. F. BOWEN AND E. J. SCOTT.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15. 1920.

PatentedSept. 6, 1921. 3SHEETSSHEET 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE IF. BOWEN AND EPHRIAM J'. SCOTT, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

VEN DING-MACHIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 15, 1920. Serial No. 410,418.

Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to coin-controlled vending machines, and has for its object to provide a machine of this character that is more particularly adapted for feeding postage stamps, tickets, coupons, or the like in strip or ribbon form, the feeding mechanism being controlled in its action by the positioning of a coin in a chute, and a cam-actuated controlling member extending into the chute I to move the coin and actuate a tripper which in turn releases a dog to connect the driving and fe ding mechanism to advance the strip.

A further object of this invention is to provide means whereby the strip-feeding mechanism may be operable any desired number of times during a single revolution of the operating mechanism whereby any predetermined number of stamps or tickets may be fed upon the deposit of but a single coin.

The invention further consists in providing a simple and effective means for actuating a cutter to sever the strip when a predetermined length has been fed.

A further object is to'provide a stop to prevent the deposit of a coin in the chute when the strip desired to be fed has been exhausted.

' A still further object of the invention is to inclose all of the operating mechanism within a-glass case whereby the action of the mechanism may be observed by the purchaser.

I'Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective View illustrating the strip-feeding IDOClltIl l as iHGlOSed within glass case.

Fig. 2 shows the coin chute with the side removed and the coin therein and the mech-- anism controlled in its action by the positioning of the coin.

Fig. 3 with the coin in the controller to mit the driving be connected.

Fig. 4 shows an actuating tion as having completed an position to be actuated by operate the tripper to perand feeding mechanisms to plate in a posi operative stroke and just leaving the contact piece on the pawl carrying said lever lever to return to normal dotted lines.

Fig. 5 illustrates the finger on the actuatpermitting the as indicated in ing plate as engaging the knife actuating lever for severing the strip.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation illustrating a portion of the strip-feeding mechanism in section, showing the gear and crank handle connection through which the mechanism is actuated.

Fig. 7 illustrates the tripper as having been raised permitting the dog to move under action of its spring into position to connect and lock the driving and feeding mechanisms together.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the notched face of the clutch which is engaged by the locking dog for connecting the driving and feeding mechanisms.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the hub in which the dog is pivotally mounted and to which the actuating plate is secured.

Fig. 10 is a sectional View illustrating the feeler mechanism which automation lly closes therein when the ticket strip 011 the table has been exhausted.

Fig. 11 is a detail in perspective of the table over which the strip or ribbon is fed.

Referring to the drawings 15 designates the base portion of the frame or casing in which the strip feeding mechanism is mounted, and 16 the corner standards for receiving and retaining the edges of the plate glass sides 17 and also for supporting the cap or top portion 18. These parts are also secured together by means of suitable screws or bolts, the rear side of the casing Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

shows a portion of the coin chute the chute and prevents a coin being inserted being preferably hinged to provide a door through which a new stamp roll may readily be inserted. This door is also provided with a look, not shown, for securing the same in closed position.

The mechanism within the casing is herein shown and arranged to be manually operated by the crank handle 20 which extends through the bearing 21 in the glass side 17, see Fig. 6, also through the frame bearing 22 and is connected by pinion 23 and gear 24-to the main drive shaft 25. is secured the cam 26.which is arranged to engage and force outwardly the controller lever 27, the latter beingpivoted below. at 28 and isprovided at its upper end with a forwardly extending offset finger 29 adapted to project into the chute and operate the coin in the manner hereinafter described. The cam, as will be seen. in Fig. 2, forces this lever outward, the same being returned through the action of the spring 30 (a portion only of which is herein shown), one.

end being-connected to the lever at 31 and the opposite end to the frame of the machine.

An automatic member comprising a hub V 32 having a body portion 33 is journaled in the frame at 34. This hub is recessed inits front face at 35. and a dog 36 is pivoted therein on the pin 40. This dog is provided with an outwardly extending tail'37 adapt- 7 ed to engage the inclined notch 75 in the the axis of the actuator member.

ment provided witha toothed face 42 adapt ed to be engaged by the tooth 38 of the dog, the hub 32 having an enlarged recess in one end to receive said clutch head. The actuating plate 43 is provided with a slot 45 in its, face in which a spring 46 is mounted to press. against the forwardly-projecting lip 39 of the dog to normally force and hold the tooth 38 into engagement with the teeth of the clutch, and this plate is providedwith one or more arms 47 each provided with a laterally-extending pin 48 in its outer end adapted to engage the contacting piece 49 fixed to the side'of the pawl carrying feed lever 50, as best illustrated in Figs. 2, 4

' and 6.

As many of these arms are provided on this plate as there are stamps, tickets, coupons, orthe like to be fed in a single revolu i n [o h m h nis y th dep f To this shaft 3 .at 62 to the frame.

single coin, two being shown in the present drawing. In other words, as the plate is rotated through the driving mechanism first one arm and then the other engages the contact piece on the pawl-carrying feed-lever to impart to' the lever two feeding strokes during a single revolution of the handle.

The lever is' 'returned to normal, as illustrated in dotted lines, after each feeding" portion length :of'a stamp. -The opposite ends of these pawls are each engaged by 0011 sprlngs awl-carrying feed-lever 50 is pro- 54 attached to supporting pin 55 on the feed lever to give the pawls the necessary engag ing. tension. p

The strip a is supported on the reel 56 in the rear, see Fig. 2, which. is mounted on the pin 57 andis fed over the table 58 the latter being 'supportedin the frame 59.

The actuating plate 43, in addition to.

being provided with means for operating 7 the pawl carrying feed lever, is also pro vided with fingers 60 which are adapted, directly after the feeding 'mechanism has been actuated, to engage the end 61 of the knife plate actuating lever, which is pivoted The opposite end 63 of this lever engages a notch 64in the knife plate- 65v whereby the knife 66 is raised to sever the strip and permit the projecting severed portion 5, see Fig. 2, to drop through the guideway 67 through the opening 68 in the glass side into the receptacle '69 in the front and onthe outside of the machine where they may be readily secured by the purchaser. v

After the knife has been actuated, both it cointhen passes downward by gravity until it reaches the offset portion 72 of the chute, see Fig. 2. Here it rests upon the inwardly projecting finger 29 of the lever 27. Theoperatinghandle is nowturned by the purchaser and the cam .26 on the shaft 25 engages the lever 27 and forces it outward withdrawing the finger from beneath the coin permitting it to. drop and rest upon the free end of the tripper lever 73. As the operating handle continues to rotate the cam permits the finger 29 to reenter the chute under action of the spring 30 and engage and force the coin to, continue its travel through the reverse offset portion 7 6 of the chute, which action causes the coin to force down the free end of the tripper against the spring pin 7 7 raising the notched end to release the dog and permit it to be carried by pressure of spring 46 into engagement with the clutch teeth 42 thereby connecting the driving and feeding mechanisms.

The actuating plate 43 isv now caused to rotate bringing the pin 48 into connection with the inclined face 84 of the contact piece 49 on the pawl carrying feed lever 50, swinging said lever, together with its pawls, forward, causing them to engage the perforations 47 in the strip a to feed it forward the required distance. Upon continuing the rotation of the handle the finger'GO engages the knife plate actuating lever, raising the knife to sever the strip and the severed portion 6 drops down through the chute 67 into the receptacle 69 below to besecured by the purchaser.

As the handle continues to be rotated and approaches the end of its operative movement, the tail 37 of the dog 36 is engaged by the outer inclined face 85 of the tripper 78, which inclination serves to draw the tail inward and the opposite toothed end outwardly out of engagement with the clutch, thereby completely disconnecting the driving from the feeding portion of the mechanism, leaving. the handle free to be turned as many times as desired without affecting the action of the feeding mechanism, until another coin has been inserted into the chute, when the tripping mechanism is again actuated to connect the driving to the feed ing mechanism to repeat the feeding movement of the stamp strip.

The stamp feeding mechanism may be actuated as many times as desired during a single revolution of the operating mechanism for the purpose of feeding any desired number of stamps or tickets by the deposit of but a single coin, by simply positioning the desired number of operating arms on the actuating plate.

To prevent a purchaser from inserting a coin into the chute when there is no strip to be fed we have provided a feeler member 79 which is pivoted at 80, the end 81 of which extends up through the table 58 while the opposite portion is constructed of an elongated wire 82 adapted to extend up along the chute, the end of the wire being turned inward as at 83 through a hole in the chute just below the coin-receiving opening, so that if there is no strip on the table 58 the end 81 of the feeler, which is arranged to bearagainst the under side of the strip, rises, thereby tipping'the end 83 inward permitting it to pass through the hole in the chute and closing the same to prevent a coin from being inserted therein.

We have shown herein a single machine for vending stamps, but any number of complete sets of mechanisms may be constructed and attached to and operated by the main shaft 25 which may be continued through the different sets of mechanisms all of which when attached to this shaft will be rotated at the same time, but only the mechanism where the coin is inserted will be operative. For instance, one set of mechanism may call for the delivery of two twocent stamps by the insertion of a nickel in the chute, while the next may call for four one-cent stamps by the insertion of a nickel in the chute, while still a third might call for a single ticket or coupon to be delivered by the insertion of the required coin, but only the one into which the coin is inserted will discharge its contents.

The preferred arrangement however, is to couple a, second set of coupon-feeding mechanism to the first set of stampfeeding mechanism whereby the deposit of but a single five-cent piece will deliver two twocent stamps from the first set and a trading coupon to the value of the other cent from the second set of mechanism.

Ve have herein shown and described the mechanism as adapted to be actuated by a manual operation of the handle but the mechanism may be operated by mechanical power continuously if desired.

By inclosi-ng the mechanism within a glass or transparent casing, the same is rendered very attractive in appearance and would often be patronized simply for the purpose of seeing the mechanism in operation.

e claim:

1. An improvement in coin controlled vending machines comprising a drive shaft provided with a clutch member rotatable therewith, a rotatable actuator member, a movable dog carried by the actuator member, a spring acting to move said dog into engagement with the clutch member, a pivotally-supported tripper for normally looking said dog against the tension of said spring, and means for forcing a coin into engagement with said tripper to actuate the ame to release said dog.

2. An improvement in coin controlled vending machines comprising a drive shaft provided with a clutch member rotatable therewith. a rotatable actuator member, a movable dog carried by the actuator member, a spring acting to move said dog into engagement with the clutch member, a piv otally-supported tripper for normally locking said dog against the tension of said spring, means for forcing a coin into engagement with said tripper to actuate the same to release said dog, and an actuator plate carried by said actuator member and provided with actuating arms.

vending machines comprising a drive shaft provided with a clutch member rotatable therewith, a rotatable actuator member, a movable dog carried by the actuator member, a spring acting to move said 'dog into engagement with the clutch member, a pivotally-supported tripper having a notch at one end to engage said dog, means acting upon said tripper to hold the dog against the tension of said spring, andmeans for forcing the coin into engagement with the other end of said tripper to raise the notched end to release said dog.

5. An improvement in coin controlled vending machines comprising a rotatable actuator member, a clutch member rotatably mounted within the actuator member and connected with a source of power, a movable dog carried by the actuator member, a spring acting to move said dog into engagement with the clutch member, a pivotally -supported tripper for normally locking said dog against the tension of said spring, and means for forcing a coin into engagement with said tripper to actuate the same to release said dog.

6. An improvement in coin controlled vending machines comprising a rotatable actuator member having an enlarged recess at one end, a clutch member rotatably mounted within the actuator member and having a clutch head within said recess, said clutch member being connected with a source of power, a movable dog carried by the actuator member, a spring acting to move said dog into engagement with the clutch head, a pivotally-supported tripper for normally locl ring said dog against the tension of said spring, engagement with said tripper to actuate the same to release said dog. a

7 An improvement in coin controlled vending machines comprising a rotatable actuator member, a clutch member rotatably mounted within the actuator member "and connected with a source of power, a movable dog carried by the actuator member, a'spring acting to move said dog into engagement with the clutch member, a pivotally supported tripper notched at one end to engage and means for forcing a coin into said dog, means acting onsaid tripper to hold said dog against the tension of said spring, and means for forcing a coin into engagement with the other end of said tripper to disengage the same from said dog.

8. An improvement in coin controlled vending machines comprising -a rotatable actuator member having a recess in one end thereof, a clutch member connected with a source of power and rotatably mounted within said actuator 'member, said clutch member having a clutch head located within said recess, a movable dog carried by the actuatormember, a spring acting to move said dog into engagement with said clutch head, a pivotallysupported tripper notched atone endfto engage said dog, means acting onsaid tripper to hold "said dog against the tension of said spring, andineans for forcing a coin into engagement with the other end of said tripper to disengage the same from said dog.

9. An vending machines comprising a rotatable actuator member, a clutch member rotatably mounted within the actuator member and connected with a source of power, amovable dog'oarried by theaetuatormember, a spring,

acting to move said "dog into engagement with the clutch member, a pivotally supported tripper for normally locking saidvdog against the tension of said spring, and means for forcing a coin into engagement with one end of said tripper to actuate the same to release said dog, said tripper member lying parallel with the axis of the actuator mem ber. V

10. An improvement in coin controlled vending machines comprising a drive shaft provided wit-h a clutch member rotatable therewith, a rotatable actuator member, a movable dog carried by the actuator member, a spring acting to move said dog into engagement with the clutch member, a tripper for normally locking said dog against the tension of saidspring, a coin chute having an offset portion, and a controller mem-' ber provided with means for supporting. a coin within said offset portion, means for withdrawing said controller member to permeans for returning the controller member to normal position to disengage the from said tripper. 7

11. An improvement in coin controlled vending machines comprising a drive shaft provided with a clutch member rotatable therewith, a rotatable actuator member, a

the tension of said spring, a chute provided with an offset portion, a controller member provided with means for arrestinga coin improvement in coin controlled coin e mitthe'coinf to engage said tripper, and

within said offset portion, a cam On said drive shaft for removing said controlling member out of engagement with said coin to permit the letter to drop upon said tripper, and a spring for returning said controller member to normal position, whereby the coin is disengaged from said tripper.

12. An improvement in coin controlled vending machines comprising a drive shaft provided with a clutch member rotatable therewith, a rotatable actuator member, a movable dog carried by the actuator member, a spring acting to move said dog into engagement with the clutch member, a tripper for normally locking said dog against the tension of said spring, a chute provided with an offset portion, a controller member pivoted at its lower end and provided with a finger extending into said chute to support a coin within said ofi'set portion, means for oscillating said controller member to withdraw said finger to permit the coin to drop upon said tripper, and to subsequently dis engage the coin from the tripper.

13. An improvement in coin controlled vending machines comprising a drive shaft provided with a clutch member rotatable therewith, a rotatable actuator member, a movable dog carried by the actuator member, a spring acting to move said dog into engagement with the clutch member, a tripper for normally locking said dog against the tension of said spring, a chute provided with an offset portion, a controller member pivoted at its lower end and provided with a finger extending into said chute to support a coin within said offset portion, a cam attached to said drive shaft for moving said controller member, whereby said finger will disengage the coin from the tripper.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

EUGENE F. BOlVEN. EPHRIAM J. SCOTT. 

